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NCEO Policy Directions: Considerations When Including Students with Disabilities in Test Security Policies (#23)A report concluding that assessments better measure what students know and can do when states and consortia thoughtfully consider how to balance test security and accessibility. Many states are concerned that their test security policies may not adequately address accommodated tests, alternate assessments, and other related issues. For example, a survey conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (2013) found that 45 states believed that their state test was vulnerable to cheating when testing students in need of accommodations. Test security policies and procedures need to address test administration procedures, accommodations, and other issues related to students with disabilities to help ensure the integrity and validity of a test. A fundamental consideration when evaluating the validity of an assessment is the "fairness" of the test.
Published: February 2015
Audio Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive LabsFormats: PDFA report examining how some students, including students with print disabilities, students with low vision, and English language learners, may benefit from having test content read aloud. However, there have been challenges in standardizing the presentation of test content, including whether or not to read answer choices or to describe maps and cartoons, among many other issues. Technology-enhanced assessment offers the opportunity to provide standardized audio support delivered through the test platform. One goal of the Guidelines for Accessible Assessment Project (GAAP) was to develop a set of audio guidelines that could be used across states. Overall, the findings from the cognitive labs support the need for taking an individualized approach in providing audio support for assessments.
Published: December 2014
NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #7: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#7)Formats: OnlineThis year 2014 report provides participation and performance information for students with disabilities in general assessments used for federal accountability in 2011-2011. Data include information on reading and math, focusing on grade eight.
Published: December 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#97)A report analyzing the graduation requirements and diploma options for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in states' alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). The authors found that nearly 70% of states' policies indicated that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS can receive a regular diploma. The criteria for doing so in these states were extremely varied, from those that have the exact same requirements to those that allow the IEP team to set the criteria. In states with policies that indicated that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS could not receive a regular diploma, all but one state indicated that other end-of-school documents (e.g., certificates, special diplomas) were available to these students. The information the authors found and that was provided during the verification process provides important information for the field. Their findings should provide a basis for discussions within states as they consider their policies in light of college and career readiness imperatives.
Published: 2014
Sign Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive LabsFormats: PDFA report observing that students who are deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf/HH) and communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) may benefit from sign accommodations on state assessments. However, there have been challenges in standardizing assessment content including how items should be signed. Technology-enhanced assessment offers the opportunity to provide standardized sign support delivered through the test platform. One goal of the Guidelines for Accessible Assessment Project (GAAP) was to develop research-based sign guidelines that can be used across states, consortia, and assessment vendors to produce reliable and valid signed representations of assessment items and tasks for students who communicate using sign language. This report highlights the findings from cognitive labs conducted with students to gain their input and feedback on the proposed guidelines. A total of 46 elementary-, middle-, and high-school-aged students who were Deaf/HH and communicated using ASL participated in cognitive labs. The research findings point to the students' preferences for the provision of the sign support in general and for this support being grounded in ASL rather than representations aligned with other languages.
Published: December 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Flexibility Waiver Plans for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) (#96)A report compiling, analyzing, and summarizing what states said about the Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) in their waiver applications. The U.S. Department of Education offered these waivers to states that requested flexibility from some of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act accountability requirements. The states' waiver applications included information that pertained to the AA-AAS, alternate achievement standards, and the students with disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS.
Published: 2014
NCEO Newsletter: October 2014 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting the launching of the 2014 NCEO Survey of States, summaries of two new reports on accommodations on English language proficiency assessments for low-incidence disabilities, and resources available from the July 2014 Webinar on "Successfully Transitioning Away from the 2% Assessment." Many of these resources are applicable to states seeking ways to improve use of data to identify intervention approaches, provide access to instruction, and improve implementation of standards-based Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). This issue also contains a short survey about the NCEO e-newsletter itself.
Published: October 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2013 State Policies for Selected Response Accommodations on Statewide Assessments (#93)A report providing information on selected response accommodations (i.e., Human Scribe, Speech to Text, Audio Transcription, Grammar Checker, Spell Checker, Calculator) that were included in state policies in 2013 for reading/ELA, math, and writing assessments. NCEO has been tracking and analyzing states' policies on assessment accommodations since 1992.
Published: September 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations, 2011-2012 (#94)A report providing an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as to identify promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research published since 1999. NCEO summarizes the research to review current research trends and enhance understanding of the implications of accommodations use in the development of future policy directions, implementation of current and new accommodations, and valid and reliable interpretations when accommodations are used in testing situations. For 2011 and 2012, 49 published research studies on the topic of testing accommodations were found. The studies in 2011-2012 demonstrated several similarities when viewing them in comparison with previous research, especially in relation to the 2009-2010 studies examined in NCEO's previous accommodations research review.
Published: September 2014
Including Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired in English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of State PoliciesFormats: PDFA report updating information on state participation and accommodations policies for English language learners (ELLs) who are Blind/Visually Impaired (VI) on English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used for Title III accountability. Accommodations policies are discussed with reference to seven accommodations in three categories that are commonly used by ELLs who are Blind/VI. Included are five accommodations from the Presentation category (Braille, Large Print, Read Aloud Directions, Read Aloud Questions, Screen Reader/Text to Speech), one accommodation from the Response category (Brailler), and one accommodation from the Equipment category (Magnification Equipment).
Published: August 2014
Successfully Transitioning Away from the 2% Assessment: Frequently Asked QuestionsFormats: PDFOn August 23, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education published a proposed rollback of the regulation that allowed the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). In February 2014, a meeting was held for states to develop plans to transition away from the AA-MAS. During the meeting, states had the opportunity to ask question of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), as well as other experts, about the use of data, accommodations, standards-based IEPs, and universal design. This set of Frequently Asked Questions represent commonly asked questions raised during this meeting.
Published: July 2014
Including Students who are Deaf or Hard-of-hearing in English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of State PoliciesFormats: PDFA report documenting participation and accommodation policies for English language learners (ELLs) who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (HH) on English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used for Title III accountability. Accommodations policies are discussed with reference to five accommodations commonly used by ELLs who are Deaf/HH, including: Sign Interpret Directions, Sign Interpret Questions, Visual Cues, Sign Response, and Amplification Equipment. Over time, states' policies on participation and accommodations on ELP assessments for ELLs who are Deaf/HH have continued to evolve and become more detailed. Still, there is room for improvement. States should continue to evaluate the construct being measured by each domain and evaluate how specific accommodations impact the validity of student scores. Controversial accommodations should be re-evaluated to make sure that the greatest numbers of students have access to the assessment while maintaining the construct being measured. States should also determine whether and in what circumstances selective participation by domain is appropriate for ELLs who are Deaf/HH.
Published: 2014
NCEO Brief: Exploring Alternate ELP Assessments for ELLs with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (#10)A brief presenting information on what we know about the participation of English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities in state alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS), highlighting information collected by NCEO that informs what we know about the participation of ELLs with disabilities in alternate English language proficiency (ELP) assessments. Topics addressed in the brief include: (a) the size of the population of ELLs with disabilities; (b) what states say about the inclusion of ELLs with disabilities in alternate ELP assessments, and the participation of ELLs with disabilities in alternate ELP assessments; and (c) experts' recommendations about alternate ELP assessments for ELLs with significant cognitive disabilities. Conclusions focus on four recommendations for consideration.
Published: July 2014
NCEO Technical Reports: 2011-12 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#69)A report analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States -- the 15th NCEO report to do so. The publication presents information on publicly reported participation and performance data for the 50 regular states and the 11 unique states (American Samoa, Bureau of Indian Education, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Department of Defense Education Activities, District of Columbia, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands). For the 2011-12 school year, 49 of the 61 states reported participation and performance data for students with disabilities for all general assessments within the ESEA accountability system. Fifty-one states reported participation and performance data for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) that were within the ESEA system. Information about state assessments outside of ESEA is also presented. This report additionally includes information on public reporting for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities, and includes recommendations for future public reporting of disaggregated data for students with disabilities.
Published: July 2014
NCEO Newsletter: June 2014 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting some of NCEO's recent work on the survey of states which will be sent in the fall of 2014, the transition from the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS), and sessions of interest at the National Conference on Student Assessment in New Orleans, June 25-27, 2014.
Published: June 2014
NCEO Brief: State Assessment Decision-Making Processes for ELLs with Disabilities (#9)A brief presenting information on what is known about assessment decision-making processes for English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. It highlights information that has been collected by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) as well as information from other sources. Topics addressed in the brief include: (a) required assessment decision-making processes, (b) experts' recommendations about assessment decision making for ELLs with disabilities, (c) resources available to guide assessment decision making, (d) standards-based IEPs, and (e) recommended participants on the decision-making team. Conclusions focus on the six key areas in which policymakers should provide guidance for educators.
Published: June 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Test Security and Students with Disabilities: An Analysis of States' 2013-14 Test Security Policies (#95)A report analyzing how accommodated tests, and students with disabilities and the assessments they take, are addressed in state test security policies - a subject about which little is known. This analysis was conducted to partially fill this gap. The report provides a snapshot of how accommodated tests for students with disabilities, alternate assessments, and other related issues were addressed in states' test security policies in 2013-14. The specific research questions were, "What information do states' test security policies contain about students with disabilities and the assessments they take?" and "How are accommodations included in states test security policies?"
Published: June 2014- National Center on Educational Outcomes YouTube ChannelFormats: Online
A YouTube channel displaying videos created by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO), which works with states across the country to provide leadership to include students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs) in large-scale state assessments.
Published: 2014 - V1-2: Teachers Working Together to Identify Student NeedsFormats: Online
A special education teacher and math teacher discuss the possible need for accommodations for a student. They discuss how the student is performing in class and what strategies they have tried to address her needs.
Published: 2014-05-05 - V1-3: Special Education Teacher Communicating with ParentsFormats: Online
A special education teacher calls a parent to discuss how her daughter is performing in her classes. They discuss how they can work together to make sure she is completing her assignments.
Published: 2014-05-05